Infosys tells staff to work from home, ensure client confidentiality

Infosys Ltd on Monday said it would extend work from home for all employees wherever possible, while ensuring client confidentiality and security.

“Prioritizing the care of our employees, the commitment to our clients, and the respect for our communities, Infosys has advised employees to work from home where possible while ensuring client confidentiality and security," Salil Parekh, CEO and managing director of the Bengaluru-headquartered company said in a statement, released on social media platforms.

Parekh’s message to employees is primarily to “stay safe, stay calm", and comes a day after the Karnataka government reiterated its earlier order asking IT companies to extend work from home to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

So far, seven people in Karnataka have tested positive, of which five are related to the IT sector.

“We will continue to work with local governments all over the world in following their advisories," Infosys said on Monday.

The Karnataka government has ordered the closure of malls, theatres, night clubs and cancelled all sporting events, exhibitions and even directed marriage halls not to take new bookings as part of the measures to contain the spread of the virus.

The state government said IT companies operate in environments---air conditioned offices and tech parks with high footfalls--that will add to the risk of the virus spreading further.

Several companies have given their employees work from home options in pursuance of the government’s advisory.

So far, one person each from Dell India, Mindtree and Google Inc, with travel histories to the US and Europe have tested positive.

The wife and daughter of the Dell executive have also tested positive. The wife of the Google employee has tested positive and is quarantined in a medical facility in Agra, Uttar Pradesh.